Air-brake.



E. B. POWERS.

AIR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1908. RENBWBD NOV.20, 1908.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

@Mre/9012 UNITE STATE 'JENT OFQE.,

EDMUND B. POWERS, OF l\'l l\\' YORK, N. Y., ASSlONOR TO 'llll` POWERSvllLWAY SAFETY APPLIANOE COl\1lPAl\'Y, Ol NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORh.

AIR-BRAKE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Application led February 27, 1908, Serial No. 418,022. Renewed November20, 1968. Serial No. 463,713.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND B. Fourmis, a citizen oi the U ,ited States,residing in the city ol' New York, borough ol' Brooklyn, in the countyoit' Kings and State ol New York, have invented a certain new andusei'ul lmproveitnent in Air-Brakes, ol' which the tollowing is aspecification.

The invention relates to brake-system. s i'or railway trains in whichthe brakes are operated by changes ol' air-pressure in thc trainpipe,and in which an air-signal pipe lorirs part o'l' the equipment.

The object of the invention is to provide simple, etiicient, and easilyinstalled n sans by which the engineer may test the entire length oftrain-pipe and signal-[npc l'or ohstructions therein, and which willalso automatically actuate the engineers whistlesignal to indicatepressures above the normal in the air-brake system.

The invention consists in certain novel icatures of construction andarrangement by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawings lorm a part ol` this specification.

Figure l is a diagrammatic elevation ol' a portion ol the usualair-brake system, showing the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2is a vertical axial section, partly in elevation, on a larger scalo thanthe precedingjigure, showin@ the construction ol' the signal actuatingva ve. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing the invention as a 'ixedattachment to a car.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A. is the engineers brake valve, located in the cab, and B is thetrain-pipe extending as usual beneath each car ol the train, havingangle ttings C with angle-cocks C1 therein, joined between cars byflexible hose connections D and hose couplings D1, and E is the usualair-signal pipe, including' the engineer-s signal Whistle G and havingcocks E and hose connections F with hose couplings l, these portions oithe system together with the reservoirs, valves, brake-cylinders, andother brake mechanism, not shown, may be understood to constitute theordinary auto- I matic brake equipment.

The resultattained by my invention is to permit the engineer to test atany time both the train-pipe and signal-pipe l'or obstructions therein,usually caused by a closed angle-cock t or sigi .l-coclc ll. `increasingthe pressure in the .in-pipe above the nor-- mal blo-ws the whistle (iit both thc trainpipe and signal-pipo be clear 'hnmghout from thelocomotive to the rear end ol' the train. The mechanism employed.comprises a casing M which l term the signal-valie rc- .movablyconnected by pipes N" N2 having couplings constructed to engagecorresponding couplings D1 and l"1 on the rear terminals of thetrain-pipe and signal-pipe. ln the upper portion ot the casing andarrai'iged axially thereof is a helical spring M abutting at the upperend against a screw-plug or follower M2 and at the lower end against apiston M arranged to rise and sink in an upper chamber M", andAexerting' its force to depress the piston. Extending downwardly l'romthe piston is a pin M5 passing through a lower chamber lvl, :incomlnunication with the sic'- nal-pipe through the pipe N2, and havingits lower end tapered to serve as a closure lor the axial opening a in atubular rcuplug N through which communication with the oxternal air isatl'orded when the pin-valve M5 is lifted. The upper chamber in is incommunication with the train-pipe through the pipe Nl, and the escape olair between the chambers M" and du is prevented by the stutiing-bo\V M7surrounding the pin. check-nut N3 on the screw-plug ll permits thelatter to be closely adjusted and held with its valve-seat properlypresented for closure when the piston .M3 is in the dcpressed position.

Under normal conditions the downward pressure oll the spring M1 issu'llicient to overcome the lifting lorce ol' the air-pressm'c in thetrain-pipe acting on the under tace ol" the piston and hold thepin-valve to its seat, but when the pressure in the train-pipe exceedsthe resistance oil'ered by the spring, the piston is lifted carryingwith it the pin M5, allowing the air under pressure in the signalpipo toescape through the opening n and, by

the consequent lowering of pressure m the signal-pipo, sound the whistleG. 'the engineer may induce this increase of pressure below the pistonat any time by throwing his brake-lever to the release position and ifthe whistle fail to respond it is evident an obstruction exists either'in the train-pipe or signal-pipe.

-in said train-pipe lifts s v inv sufficient increase in train-pipepressure will sound the whistle; tl" the invention serves automatica L,io draw the attention of the engineer to the laet that he is earrying anexcess pressure in the br: s teni, wliieli although indicated by the aAp essure gage may not been previously; noted. 'ine signal ilve may beeasily and quiollr connected 'lo couplings of the train-pipe andsignal-pipe hose at the rear end ol the train, and maj; be support bjrang.' suitable hang-e', not shown, eng .gsd with the rear .i ol' the.ear, or the platform ,'llzer poi apparatus maw' be pei'nianentlf at eachend oi eaeli ear indi in such ease all but one rear end will be shut outi 'the signal-valve man, i i any desired increase over the nonialtrainpipe pressure, the screw-plug M2 permitting the adjustment to beeasily and accurately made. lt will be observe/l that the signalpipepressure is practicallyT ol: no emeot in the ope `ation oi: theapparatus 5 this is an irnportant feature in that the operation does notdepend on the dii-Terence between the pressure in the train-pipe andthat in the signal-pipe but is entirely independent or' the latter andis oontroll d bj; changes in the train-pipe pressure alone.

l Claim#- l. ln apparatus ot the charac/ter set forth, a easing, ineansmovable therein by train-pipe pressure, a. valve in said easing aetuatedby said means and controlling an opening in said Casing from thesignal-pipe to the external air, and a spring in said. Casing afg-tingupon said means in opposition to said train-pipe pressure, wher/sbg,Texcess pressure in said train-pipe lifts said valve and opensroinniunieation between said signal-pipe and external air.

2. in an apparatus of the Character set forth, a casing, means movabletherein by train-pipe pressure, a valve in said easing aetuated b v saidmeans and controlling an opening in said Casing troni the signal-pipe tothe external air, a spring in said casing, aeting upon said means inopposition to said train-pipe pressure, wlifraby excess pressure aidvalve and opens communie ation between said signal-pipe and externalair, d means for varying the fore-e of said spring.

3. ln an apparatus of the Charaeter set forth, a easing having a chamberin eommul nication with the train-pipe and a Chamber in eonununieationwith the signal-pipe, and i an escape opening Jfrom the latter chamber iforth, a easing having a chamber in @onimunication with the train-pipeand a chamber in Communication with the signal-pipe, a valve-seat in thelatter chamber having an i pe opening therein extending through easing,a piston in suoli train-pipe shamr acted upon by train-pipe p essuie, apinvalve in said signal-pipe ehamber, eonneeted to said piston andarranged to oo-aet with said valve-seat and Control said opening, andspring in said easing for moving said piston and pin-valve o close saidopening in opposition to the train-pipe pressure.

5. ln an apparatus of the character set forth, a easing having a Chamberin communication with the train-pipe, and a chamber in eommunirationwith the signal-pipe, a valve-seat in the latter chamber having anescape. opening therein extending through said easing, a piston in suehtrain-pipe sham- 1oer aeted upon by train-pipe pressure, a pin valve insaid signal-pipe enaniber, connected to said piston and aranged tooo-aet with said valve-seat and Qontrol said opening, a spring in saida-sing for moving said piston and pin-valveI to @lose said opening inopposition to the train-pipe pressure, and a screwplug in said easingfor adjusting the pressure of said spring on said piston.

6. ln an apparatus of the character set fort-h, a easing havin@- anupper and lower chamber therein, a piston in said upper Chamber, a pipeleading from the latter be low said piston to the train-pipe, a springin said easing above said piston, a serew-plug in said easing foradjusting the pressure of said spring on said piston, a pin-valve onsaid piston, a pipe leading from said lower chamber to the signal-pipe,and a tubular screw exe tending through said easing into said lowerchamber and carrying a seat for said Valve.

ln testimony that l claim the invention above set forth l inv signature,in pressnee of two witnesses.

EDMUND B. PONERS.

Witnesses CHAnLEs R. SEARLE, F. J. GREENE.

